More Than 40 Million Kidde Fire Extinguishers made over last 40 years Recalled

[PastTense]

More Than 40 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled for Safety Hazard Two types of Kidde fire extinguishers are being recalled, those with those with plastic handles, and those with a push-button on top.

The extinguishers, sold by Kidde, can become clogged or "require excessive force to discharge," and fail to work during a fire emergency, the CPSC said. In addition, the nozzles on some of the extinguishers can detach with enough force to potentially injure someone.
So far, the CPSC has received nearly 400 reports of cases in which the recalled fire extinguishers failed to work properly. These included 91 reports of property damage, 16 reports of injuries (such as smoke inhalation and minor burns) and one death.

More Than 4 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled for Safety Hazard

See the Kidde website on instructions to get a free replacement:
Kidde Home Safety

 

[RNeumann]

Long ago I was told to only buy metal handle extinguishers as the plastic handle ones were not serviceable.
The powder inside the extinguisher tends to cake over time- this is exacerbated if it is moving or bouncing like in a vehicle. Servicing re-fluffs the powder and re-pressurizes the tank.
Sounds like they tried to make the cheapo extinguishers a little too cheap!

 

[tallyho8]

I gathered up all my old fire extinguishers and checked them and found that 4 of them were recalled. They had all lost pressure over the years as some were over 30 years old and should have been thrown away. I filled out the form on Kidde's web site and they sent me 4 new ones for free. Can't beat that!

 

[Ken]

I gathered up all my old fire extinguishers and checked them and found that 4 of them were recalled. They had all lost pressure over the years as some were over 30 years old and should have been thrown away. I filled out the form on Kidde's web site and they sent me 4 new ones for free. Can't beat that!

in the mid '70's on Now I-40 west of Seligman Ariz. noticed a 18 whl. truck blowing black smoke from engine approaching over 1/2 mile away. and as getting closer saw the driver lock brakes and when stopped jump out of truck and carrying a small fire extinguisher. raiswe hood and was pumping a carbon tech. type unit at flames. I had stopped and carried my 18 lb. CO2 over to truck and started to blow at base of flames and then transmission and put the flames out. Still a gas engine and driver had just switched tanks and gas was pouring out carb.
his unit was brass out dated since WW1 at least and explained all it did was produce phosgene gas which would destroy his lungs.
It convinced me which type to carry.
This type that has backing soda that packs into a cake sure cheap. but then have to service toss before needed.
ken

 

[lostcreekranch]

More Than 4 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled for Safety Hazard

See the Kidde website on instructions to get a free replacement:
Kidde Home Safety

Good information, thanks for sharing. I think we have 3 of these.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Long ago I was told to only buy metal handle extinguishers as the plastic handle ones were not serviceable.
The powder inside the extinguisher tends to cake over time- this is exacerbated if it is moving or bouncing like in a vehicle. Servicing re-fluffs the powder and re-pressurizes the tank.
Sounds like they tried to make the cheapo extinguishers a little too cheap!

That's standard fire department extinguisher training. You can keep the powder fluffed by turning the extinguisher upside down and whacking it with a rubber mallet a few times, but the plastic handle ones still have to be thrown away and the metal handle ones have to be serviced on a regular schedule. You can't let a dry chemical extinguisher sit for years and expect the dry chemical to come out when you need it. A CO2 extinguisher will work as long as it stays pressurized, and doesn't have to be serviced.

 

[Gary Fowler]

More Than 4 Million Fire Extinguishers Recalled for Safety Hazard

See the Kidde website on instructions to get a free replacement:
Kidde Home Safety

Thanks for the info. I have two and just filled out the form. Supposed to send free replacements within15-20 days.

 

[flyerdan]

I have one that was affected and one that wasn't, we'll see I guess. Don't know why one of the models in their pulldown menu would be unaffected unless it was a specific serial number range.

 

[tallyho8]

I have one that was affected and one that wasn't, we'll see I guess. Don't know why one of the models in their pulldown menu would be unaffected unless it was a specific serial number range.

All the models in the pulldown menu are recalled. If it did not accept yours after you put in the serial number, either you put in an incorrect number or that serial number was recalled and replaced before. This is not the first time they were recalled.

 

[wngsprd]

Thanks for sharing. I just checked and mine were metal handles...3 bought at Costco...one many years ago and two just this year...and I noticed the new ones from Costco are a First Alert brand, not Kidde.